Incubator



W'. W'. SMITH..

lNcuBAToR; i APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17, 1920. 1,428,813., PtentdSept. 12,1922. l 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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W; W. SMITH.

I NcuBAToR. APPLICATION FILED 1:58.17, 1920.

PatentedSept. 12,1922,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATES 'WILLIAM W. SMITH', OF HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA.

INCUBATOR.

Application filed February 17, 1920. Serial No. 359,277.

To all whom z'z may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM l/V. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hawthorne, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 1ncubators, of which the following is a specilication.

rlhis invention relates. to electrically controlled incubators and similar apparatus and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the present invention is to provide improved electrically operated means for automatically maintaining the temperature in the incubator within the desired range.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an incubator an improved ventilating means for controlling' the supply of air to the eggs and the baby chicks, whereby fresh air is supplied and maintaincdat the hatching` temperature although this temperature may vary within the predetermined hatching range.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an incubator equipped with the temperature regulating means and the improved ventilator.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation and partly in diagram of electrical controlling means for the temperature regulator of `the incubating chamber and the ventilation thereof.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the incubator comprises a. body l mounted upon legs 2 in the usual manner. n

A pan 3 is located in the body and 1s connected by means of a. pipe Ll vwith a trough 5 located exteriorly of the body. A tank 6 has its outlet 7 disposed in theV trough 5 and the tank is surrounded by a -heater 8 of usual pattern. A valve 9 is located in the tank at trough 5 and is adapted to con-l trol the iiow of water from the tank to the trough ina usual manner. fA frame 10 is located in the pan 3 and a capillary fabric humidifier 11 is disposed over the frame 1() and its lower edge is submerged in the water which flows into the pan 3 through the pipe 4L from the trough 5. The evaporation from the capillary fabric maintains the interior of the body 1 in properly moist condition.

The 4body 1 encloses an incubation chamber 12, composed of a top 13 and end walls 1d and 15. The wall 111 is spaced at'l its upper edge from the lower surface of the top 13 and joins its lower edge at the bottom of the body, and is spaced from the adjacent end ofthe body leaving an air passage 16 which opens outwardly at the lower portion of the end of the body 1.

rlhe partition 15 joins at its upper edge the top 13 andat its lower edge stops short of the bottom of the body 1. The partition 15 is spaced from the adjacent end of the body 1, leaving an air passage 17, which extends over. the top 13 and opens outwardly at'the upper portion of the end of the body 1. Doors 18 and 19 are hingedly mounted and are arranged to normally hang in closed positions over the ends of the passage ways 16 and 17 respectively. Arms 20 and 21 are connected with the doors 18 and 19 respectively and a link 22 is pivotally connected with the said arms whereby the doors are actuated simultaneously.

A bracket 23 is attached to the end of the body 1 and supports a'lamp 24. A hood 25 is disposed over the burner of the lamp and communicates with a flue 26 which is open at its upper end 27. A pipe 28 communicates with the flue 26 at a point below the top thereof and extends into the chamber 12 in position to heat the top 13 as best shown, in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

A bracket 29 depends from the bracket 23 and a lever 30 is fulcrumed thereto pivoted at one end to a link 31 extending to the arm 21 so that when the lever 30 is swung as hereinafter described, the said link 31 swings the arms 20 and 21, whereby the doors 18 and 19 are movedto open positions with relation to the air passages 16 and 17.

A thermostat 32 is located in the chamber 12, preferably under the frame 10 and is connected with a rod 33 which extends downwardly through a` tube 34 and passes out through the bottom of the body 1. The damper 35 is locatedupon the rod 33 at a point below the bottom of the body 1 and a nut 36 is screw-threaded upon the lower end portion of the said rod.. A bracket 37 is attached rto the bottom of the body 1 and a lever 33 is fulcrumed at one end to the said bracket. The lower portion of the rod 33 passes transversely through the lever 38 and the lever is located between the damper 35 and the nut 36 as best shown in F ig. 1.

A rod 39 depends from the outer end of ythe pipe 28.

thelever 3() and passes through the tree end ofthe lever 38. A nut 40 is screwed upon the lower end of the rod 39 and lies` below the lever 38. A weight 41 is carried at the l tree end of the lever 38.

Thus, when the temperature in thechamber 12 rises above the predetermined limit, the thermostat 32 expands in the usual manner whereby the rod 33 is moved in a downward direction and the damper 35 engages the lever 38 and depresses the same. When the outer end of the lever 38 engages the nut 40 the rod 39 is moved in a'downward direction whereby the lever is oscillated and thel doors 18 and 19 are moved from the closed positions shown in Fig. 1 to open positions relative to the` ends ot the passageways 16 and 17. Hence fresh air from the atmosphere passes along the passageway 16, up and over the upper edge of the partition 14 and is warmed by coming in contact with This air as it is cooled gradually descends within the chamber 12 and bathes the eggs (not shown) lwhich'rest upon the trays 42. The said air isalso supplied to the chicks 'y (not shown) which may be in the drawers 43. The drawers 43 are located in the lower portion of the body 1 and their upper edges extend above the lower edge of the partition 15 as shown in Fig. 1. Consequently, the chicks are supplied with warm fresh air. As the air becomes `foul it passes under the lower edge ofthe partition 15 and up and along the passageway 17 and out ot' the body 1 under the door 19. Y

' Consequently, it will be' seen that the baby chicks are supplied with warm vfresh air ot the proper temperature Vand as theair in the chamber 12 begins to cool the operation just above described is reversed whereby the fresh'air is gradually cut oft' from the chamber 12. A bar 59 is mounted upon lugs 51 located upon the partitions 14 and 15. A bracket 52 depends from the bar 50 and carries the thermostat 53. A lug 54`is mounted upon the bar 50 and a circuit closer 55 is pivoted to the lug. A balance weight 56 is carriedk at one end of the circuit closer 55. A rigidl arm 57 depends from the bar 50 and an adjusting'screw 58 is carried 'by said arm and engages the 'support V52 which is pivotally connected with the bar 50, whereby the said support may be oscillatedvwhen the rod 58 is manipulated to properly adjust the thermostat 53 to control the appropriate action of the circuit closer 55. Terminals 59 and 60 are mounted upon the bar 50 and one end of the circuit closer 5,5 lies between the said terminals. A wire a is connected with the terminal 60 and a wire Y) is connected with the terminal 59. A common wire c is connected with the circuit closer 55.

At a point remote from thek incubator The wire a connects with the magnets 63.

The wire connects with the magnets 62.

The common wire 0 connects with a battery 64. f

Terminals and 66 are mounted upon the lboard 61 and a wire 67 connects the magnets 63 with the terminal 66. A wire 68 connects the magnets 62 with the terminal 65. A bell crank lever 69 is pivoted upon the boardy 61 and has one leg disposed as an armature under the cores of the magnets 62 and one leg extended upwardly along the board 61 and provided with a hook 70. A bracket 71-is mounted upon the board 61 and an armature 72 is pivoted to the said bracket.

A cushioning spring 73 is 'attached to the bracket 71 and bears against the under side l of the armature 72 at the opposite Vsides or' major weight disposed toward the free end of the bar 72. A contact finger 75 is mounted upon the weight 74 and has an end portion located between the terminals 65 and 66. `A bracket 76 is mounted upon thegboard' 61 and a lever 77 vis fulcrumed upon the. bracket 76. A cushioning spring 78 is at tached to the bracket 7 6 and bears at its ends against the under side of the lever 77 at opposite sides oit the ulcrurn. A damper 79 is mounted at one end of the lever 77 above the upper end of the flue 26, `and* mayat times move down to 'close the open end 27 of the said iiue. i A weight 80 is Carried at the other end oit the lever 77, whereby the lever 77 is nearly balancedupon the bracket 76, but the damper 79 slightly overbalances the weight 80. A rod 81 is pivotally connected at its upper end with the lever 77 at a point vbetween the bracket 76v and the weight 80.

The lower portion of the rod 81 passes transversely through ythe armature 72 and carries at its lower end a nut 82 upon the upper face of which the free end ont' the armature 72 rests. The armatureA 72 is provided with ani `opening 83 through which the upper' por-' tion of the lever 69 passes so that the hook .i

70 may engage over the upper surfaceof the armature 72 at the edge ot' the opening 83 and temporarily restrain the :tree end of the armature 72 against upward swinging movement. f A

. Assuming thattlie air in the chamberv 12 is at the predetermined temperature and the parts in the positions as shown' in lligures 1 and 2 ot the' drawing, the operation will be as follows: l

In case the temperature of the chamber 12 is lowered the thermostat 53 will 'contract permitting the arm to fall into engagement with the contact 59 closing the circuit from battery 64 through wire c to arm 55 to contact 59 through wire o to electromagnet 62 through wire 68, contact 65, nger 75, wire 75 to battery. This will energize the magnet 62 attracting the armature end ot' the bell-crank lever 69 unhooking the hook 70 from engagement with the armature 72. The damper 79 overbalancing the weight 8O causes the lever 77 to fall bringing the damper 79 into closing engagement with the open end 27 of the flue 26 raising the armature 72. The raising oi the armature 72 breaks the circuit at the contact 65 and moves the linger 75 into engagement with the contact 66. When the temperature in the the chamber l2 rises the thermostat 53 will eXpand throwing the arm 55 into engagement with the contact 60. This closes the circuit through battery 64:, through wire c to arm 55 through contact und wire a to electromagnet 63 through wire 67 to contact 66 and through linger 75 now in engagement therewith and wire 75 to battery 6st. This energizes electromagnet 63 attracting the armature 72 and raising the damper 79. The bell crank lever 69 having previously been released by breaking of the circuit is in position so that the hook 70 will hook over the armature 72 and retain the parts in the position shown at Figure 2 unt-il released.. This also breaks the circuit at the contact 66.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

l. An incubator comprising an egg chamber, a partition forming an inlet conduit extending upwardly along one side and subjected to the temperature of the egg chamber, a partition forming an outlet conduit extending upwardly along another side and across the top and subjected to the temperature of the egg chamber, closures at the induction endl of the inlet and the eduction end of the outlet conduits, a thermostat within the chamber, means connecting the thermostat and closures whereby the closures are actuated in synchronism, a heating element without the chamber, a heat transmitting element extending from the heating element into the chamber, brackets positioned within the chamber, a second thermostat organization seated upon and removable as an entirety from said brackets, electrical contacts forming a part of said removable thermostat organization, a source of electrical energy, a damper adapted to vary the effective interaction of the heating and heat distributing elements and tending to remain closed, electrically actuated means including some of said contacts which open the damper, means to lock the damper in open position, and electrically-actuated means including others of said contacts to release the lock.

2. An incubator comprising an egg chamber, a partition forming an inlet conduit eX- tending upwardly along one side and subjected to the temperature of the egg chamber, a partition ormingan outlet conduit extending upwardly along another side and across the top and subjected to the temperature of the egg chamber, closures at the induction end or' the inlet and the eduction end of the outlet conduits, a thermostat within the chamber, means connecting the thermostat and closures whereby the closures are actuated in synchronism, a heating element without the chamber, a heat transmitting element extending from the heating element into the chamber, brackets positioned within the chamber, a second thermostat organization set upon and removable as an entirety from said brackets, electrical contacts forming a part ot' said removable thermostat organization, a source of electrical energy, a damper adapted to vary the effective interaction of the heating and heat distributing elements and tending to remain closed, electrically actuated means including some of said contacts which open the damper, means to lock the damper in open position, electrically-actuated means including others of said contacts to release the lock, means within the egg chamber to vary the temperature range at which the second thermostat operates without varying its amplitude, and means extending without the chamber to manipulate said varying means.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM W. SMITH, 

